Hypodermic hub



i United States Patent 1111 3,527,217

[72] Inventor William A. Getti [56] References Cited Linwood, Pennsylvania 16875 (Box as, Springmills Tour, Pa.) ED V PATENTS I 2 APPL 702 495 1,681,858 3/1928 Conklln 285/3 22 Filed Jan. 18,1968 2,834,346 5/1958 Adams 128/218 5 patented SCPL 19 3,234,944 2/1966 Stevens et al.. 128/221 3,278,357 10/1966 Gettig et a1. 128/221X Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet 5 "YPGDERMC HUB AS81810!!! Examiner.lohn B. Mitchell 1 4 Chins, 4 Drawn. as. Anorneys- Emory L. Groff and Emory L. Groff, Jr.

[52] US. Cl 128/221 [51] Int. Cl A6lm 5/00 ABSTRACT: A hypodermic hub having an axial bore the [50] Field olSearch 128/215. eripheral walls of which include integral dis laceable means adapted to be radially deflected upon the insertion of the elongated nose of a fluid-containing cartridge.

Patented Sept. 8, 1970 3,527,217

Z INVENTOR AWmuAM A.GETT|G.

6 J BY v HYPODERMIC HUB This invention relates generally to hypodermic hubs as used in an assembly for dispensing fluid contents from a vial or ampule through a needle or cannula, and more particularly, relates to improved means within such hubs for automatically insuring a precision longitudinal or axial alignment between the end or nose of the ampule and the central axis of the hub. It will be readily understood that in the pharmaceutical field the maintenance of axial alignment in an assembly of needle, hub and cartridge is quite critical and heretofore the problem has been manifested due to the requirement for attempting to maintain extremely close tolerancesin the manufacture of the mating parts of both the vial or ampule and the hypodermic hub.

It has been found that under the best of conditions, the tolerance of the diameter of the glass container is a fluctuation of more than five percent of the design diameter, and in view of the close tolerances required in the prior known devices in order to insure rigid and accurate alignment between the components, it follows that there has been a very high percentage of rejects by the manufacturer. By the present invention it is possible to achieve the successful high speed manufacture of commercially acceptable hypodermic cartridge assemblies which can be relied upon to meet all existing specifications and provide the required rigid and precision alignment even when used in combination with ampules or cartridges having a mating portion of somewhat varying diameters. As commonly practiced, the joined hub and cartridge are readily secured in this rigid and precision alignment by means of a suitable adhesive which when fixed not only securely retains the alignment but also seals the joints and voids between the components to provide a fluid tight assembly.

Accordingly, one of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide a hypodermic hub of integral construction and including improved means for insuring a rigid and axially aligned assembly with an ampule.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hypodermic hub including resilient means for engaging an ampule in rigid and aligned condition.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a hypodermic hub of one piece construction and formed of a plastic composition.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a hypodermic hub having a plurality of integral yet radially displaceable resilient members for releaseably but securely engaging the nose of a vial or ampule while insuring precision axial alignment therebetween.

With these and other objects in view which willmore readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the invention consists in the novel arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention and illustrates the nose of a glass cartridge in ready position for insertion within the hub;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the hypodermic hub shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the hub as shown in FIGS. 1

and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 4- 4 of FIG. 3.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, more particularly FIG. I, the present invention will be seen to comprise a hypodermic hub including a hub body, generally designated 1, which is preferably constructed as an integral member, and although any suitable composition may be utilized in its formation a plastic material such as nylon has been found to be most desirable. It will be understood that an inherent property of such a composition is the nominal degree of resilience thereof and the tendency to possess a memory, that is, when slightly deflected or displaced, portions of an article formed thereof will thereafter return to their normal or original positions.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 2, the body 1 comprises an elongated member of cylindrical external construction including portions of varying diameters. The rear portion of the body 1 includes a cylindrical skirt 2 comprising first and second sections 3 and 4, respectively, interconnected by means of the skirt taper 5 and includes at the rear thereof a flat rim or base 6. The intermediate portion of the body 1 may be provided with suitable external threads 7 which are disposed adjacent a tapered neck portion 8 to which the forward needle post or extension 9 is attached.

As will be seen in FIG. 4 an axial passageway extends throughout the length of the hub body 1 and includes an enlarged bore 10 extending from the rim or base 6 of the body forwardly throughout the extent of the skirt section 2 terminating intermediate the threaded section 7. At this forward portion of the bore 10 the passageway is reduced in cross section to provide an inwardly curved seat 11 which extends in a progressively decreasing diameter to provide a throat 12 passing through the neck portion 8 into the needle post 9 wherein there is provided a restricted passage or venturi 13 which in turn connects at its forward end with a discharge aperture or outwardly flared portion 14.

So much of the hypodermic hub construction as described above will be found to be common in all modifications of the invention as disclosed herein. In the practice of the invention the hub body 1 is adapted to be axially positioned about the end or nose 15 of a suitable vial, ampule or glass cartridge 16. The nose 15 will be seen to comprise an elongated cylindrical member of substantial axial extent and includes a rounded forward portion 17 having a central aperture (not shown) to permit the egress of the fluid contents of the cartridge 16 therefrom into the throat l2, and ultimately from the discharge aperture 14 ofthe hypodermic huh I.

By the present invention, novel means are provided for permitting the ready insertion of the cartridge nose 15 into the bore 10 of the hub l and the provision ofa rigid and precision axial alignment therebetween, which assembly may be readily obtained even when the diameter of the cartridge nose l5 fluctuates above or below the design tolerance followed in the manufacture of the cartridge nose.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 and 4, the aforementioned alignment and retention means comprise a plurality of webs l8 longitudinally disposed within the confines of the skirt 2 of the hub body so as to provide inner contact surfaces 19 juxtaposed the longitudinal center axis of the hub body 1 on the one hand, and outer walls 20 spaced inwardly from the inner surface of the cylindrical skirt 2. Three such webs 18 are provided within the interior of the hub body 1 thereby forming a substantially triangular shaped bore 10 in this embodiment of the invention. It will be understood that the longitudinal line which bisects the inner contact surface 19 of each web 18 will be tangent to an imaginary circle within said bore 10, which circle has its center coinciding with the center longitudinal axis of the hub body 1. A cavity 22 is formed adjacent the outer wall 20 of each web 18, the outer wall of which cavity corresponds to the inner surface 21 of the skirt section 2, and this cavity extends from the rim 6 of the hub body the full axial extent of the webs 18 to a point intermediate the thread section 7, and as will be seen in FIG. 4 of the drawings, the radial extent of these cavities 22 is substantially reduced in the area of the first skirt section 3 and in the threaded section 7. In view of the smaller diameter of the first section 3 of the skirt it will follow that the lateral dimension of each web 18 encompassed within this first section 3 will be lesser than the rearward portion of each web 18 positioned within the second section 4 of the skirt, and accordingly, the resilience of the forward portion of the webs will be somewhat lessened.

The imaginary circle to which the intermediate portion of the inner contact surfaces 19 of the webs 18 are tangent will include a diameter which is no greater than the design diameter of the nose 15 of the glass cartridges 16 intended to be used with the instant hypodermic hub. The present invention not only insures precision alignment between the assembled components, but also provides means facilitating the initial insertion of the forward portion 17 of the nose 15 into the bore of the hub body 1. In view of the rounded nature of the forward portion 17 and the outwardly diverging relationship between each pair of adjacent webs 18, it will be understood that as a cartridge nose is moved toward entrance into the bore 10, as shown in FIG. 1, that any misalignment of the two components at this point will be readily and automatically corrected due to such divergence of the webs 18 which will naturally tend to move the forward portion 17 of the cartridge nose radially inwardly toward the true center axis of the hub body. As the nose is further inserted into the bore 10 of the hub 1 the intermediate portion of each of the inner contact surfaces 19 of the three webs 18 will engage three equispaced points about the periphery of the cartridge nose 15 and due to the inherent resiliency of the webs 18 each will be displaced radially outwardly toward the inner surface 21 of the skirt 2 an equal amount as the nose 15 is inserted completely into the bore 10 until the forward portion 17 firmly engages the seat 11 to complete the assembly of the two components. In the foregoing arrangement it will be seen that the elongated nose 15 will be rigidly secured within the hub body by the resultant equal application of pressure as exerted throughout the entire axial length of each of the three webs 18, which pressure insures perfect axial alignment between the cartridge nose and the center longitudinal axis ofthe entire hub body.

Iclaim:

1. A hypodermic hub for attachment to an elongated cartridge nose, comprising, a body having an axial bore, a skirt section at one end of said body, means within said skirt section providing a plurality of inner contact surfaces radially equidistant from the center axis of said bore, said means comprising a plurality of resilient web members fixed to the skirt section defining the walls of said bore within said skirt section and radially displaceable' upon the insertion of the cartridge nose into said bore, and said web members extending substantially the axial length of said bore in said skirt section and each having their intermediate portion spaced from said skirt section to provide a cavity therebetween.

2. A hypodermic hub for attachment to an elongated cartridge nose comprising, a body having an axial bore, a skirt section at one end of said body, a plurality of resilient web members within said skirt section providing a plurality of inner contact surfaces radially equidistant from the center axis of said bore, said web members normally planar and said skirt section angular, whereby said web members provide chords across said skirt section and when said cartridge nose is inserted into said bore said web members are radially displaceable.

3. A hypodermic hub for attachment to an elongated cartridge nose comprising, a body having an axial bore, a skirt section at one end of said body, a plurality of resilient web members within said skirt section providing a plurality of inner contact surfaces radially equidistant from the center axis of said bore, said web members defining the walls of said bore within said skirt section and radially displaceable upon the insertion of said cartridge nose into said bore, and including three of said web members whereby a triangular bore is provided within said skirt section.

4. A hypodermic hub according to claim 3, wherein the perpendicular bisector of each of the inner contact surfaces of said web members intersects the center axis of said bore. 

